England build sizeable lead in search for series-levelling win

England built a 377-run lead as they dominated day three at The Kia Oval, setting up the very real possibility of a series-levelling win in the fifth and final Ashes Test with two days to play.

Joe Root (91), Jonny Bairstow (78) and Zak Crawley (73) all struck brilliant and typically brisk half-centuries in Bazball mode as England closed on 389-9.

Stuart Broad (2no) and James Anderson (8no) came together at the crease for the last time together in Test Cricket late in the day, with Broad telling Sky Sports at stumps that he is to retire after the fifth Ashes Test.

No declaration came late in the day from Ben Stokes, who himself fired a 67-ball 42 batting at No 3, but one could arrive overnight or early on day four as England look to draw the series 2-2 and prevent a first Australian win on their soil since 2001.

Trailing by 12 at the start of the day’s play, Crawley kicked things off in fine style, just as he did off the first ball of the series at Edgbaston, as he cracked Mitchell Starc for four through the covers.

It was the first of three boundaries in an opening over costing 13 that immediately saw England into a lead, while 40 runs in total were smashed from the opening five overs by Crawley and Ben Duckett (42).

It was in stark contrast to Australia’s overly cautious approach on the second morning that saw them add just 54 runs in 26 overs before lunch. England, meanwhile, reached that mark before even 10 overs were bowled.

Starc (4-94) finally provided the breakthrough, with Duckett nicking off. The England opener was initially given not out on the field but had to depart with a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey detected by DRS.

Crawley, meanwhile, continued on his merry way, becoming the series’ leading run-scorer as he brought up a 61-ball fifty shortly before lunch before then departing in the second over after the interval, as he edged an attempted drive to Steve Smith at second slip off Pat Cummins (1-79).

Stokes had just been dropped in the previous over at fine leg when on 14, scoring six in the process as Starc’s attempt to make the grab helped push the ball over the rope.

Stokes made the most of the reprieve, bringing up a fifty stand for the third wicket with Root in just 62 balls, with the latter hitting a six off Mitch Marsh with that audacious but perfected reverse-ramp of his over third man.

Three boundaries in a row would follow from Root off Starc as England’s lead moved past 200, while the former England skipper notched a 60th half-century in Test cricket off only 42 balls in the next over.

The current captain would depart just two balls later, however, as Stokes took on the off-spin of Todd Murphy (3-110) but failed to clear Cummins at mid-on.

Harry Brook (7) came and went quickly, though not before a sumptuous straight six second ball off Murphy, to reduce the hosts to 222-4 and briefly raise Australian hopes of an afternoon fightback – before they were violently quashed by Bairstow.

Bairstow fired 10 of his 11 boundaries either side of tea as he dominated a century stand with Root (who added just one four over the same period), the wicketkeeper racing through to a 60-ball fifty.

The pair took England’s lead beyond 300 before Root was bowled through the gate by Murphy nine short of what would have been a richly-deserved century.

Moeen Ali, despite suffering with a groin strain, was sent out to bat and cracked 29 useful runs off 38 balls, but wickets began to tumble at regular intervals as the day reached its conclusion.

Starc picked up Bairstow, Chris Woakes (1) and Moeen in consecutive overs, while Mark Wood (9) holed out in the deep when looking to slog-sweep Murphy.

It brought old-stagers Broad and Anderson together at the crease, each arriving to rapturous applause. Anderson then sent the crowd into a further frenzy by striking back-to-back boundaries in the final over of the day before news of Broad’s planned retirement emerged.

Stuart Broad announces retirement from cricket

England seamer Stuart Broad on his decision to retire:

“Tomorrow or Monday will be my last game of cricket. It has been a wonderful ride and a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and England badge as much as I have.

“I am loving cricket as much as I ever have. I have always wanted to finish at the top and this series feels like one of the most enjoyable and entertaining I have been a part of.

“I told Stokesy last night and the changing room this morning. It just felt like the right time.

“I was a little bit [emotional]. I have thought a lot about it. Even up until last night, I was a bit unsure but when I told Stokesy and told him I felt content and happy with everything.

“I have loved the battles that have come my way and the team’s way. I have a love affair with Ashes cricket… I think I wanted my last bat and bowl to be in Ashes cricket.

“It is a huge goal of ours to level the series. It has been an incredible series to be part of and we have played some incredible cricket throughout.”

‘An undeniably great cricketer’ | ‘I think he has made a good choice’

Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton:

“An undeniably great cricketer – 176 games, 602 wickets! Broad can look back with a great deal of pride at a fantastic career.

“He has more Ashes wickets than anybody else in an England shirt. He himself said the Ashes brought out the best in him and I think that’s why he has decided to go here.

“I think it’s a good decision, by the way. It’s the one thing that every cricketer is in control of, when they go, and I think he has made a good choice – The Oval, the Ashes, Australia, what could be a better time and place to go out at 37 years of age.

“He is going to get a great ovation when he walks out tomorrow with Jimmy Anderson and then he has a chance to help bowl England to victory.”

Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain:

“A great cricketer deserves to go out at the top.

“It’s not just what he deserves. I think the crowd here over the next couple of days would want to give him a send-off. Imagine the emotion tomorrow… although the one thing I know about Stuart Broad is he won’t let that emotion get in the way of a performance.

“He is all about putting in performances to win Ashes games. Those spells mean more to him because England have won games and series.

“He is the complete article. Fitness, hunger, skill, competitiveness and very clever.”

Watch day four of the fifth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket on Sunday. Build-up starts at 10.15am with the first ball at 11am. Stream The Ashes and more with NOW.

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